Yesterday I gave my Bearded Dragon, Puff a bath, which I do about every week or two. I also did this because I noticed that part of his head was shedding. After that he ate a little and around 10pm I put him to bed. Usually he goes right to sleep but this time I notice him doing something weird. About every 20-30 mins he would make a noise like he was gagging. I turned on the light and went to check on him. He was laying down but from time to time he would puff up open his mouth and make a gagging noise. I got very worried. So I took him out and made sure nothing was stuck in his mouth or nose, everything looked fine. So I decided to just put him to bed and wait till the morning to check him out more. Well this morning I noticed him doing the same thing but he only did it when he wasn’t basking. Besides that he acts fine, he is still very active and he is still eating. I don’t know what’s going on. I have had him for almost 3 years and he has never done anything like this.

His backing area is around 85-90 degrees Fahrenheit.

I don’t know the humidity but I imagine it is very low. I don’t keep water in the cage. Like I said I bath him once every week or two. I also feed him a very moist diet.

I was originally using sand in his enclosure but have now switched to paper towels and tile.

His diet consists of Exo-Terra canned crickets and kale and/or red lettuce. I also give him super worms as a treat.

Can anyone tell me what might be wrong with him?

First and foremost WELCOME!!! but I have to say...85-90F!?!?!

We are glad you came asking questions, especially as it seems like you might need to make a fair amount of changes for your dragon.

ok We need a lot more information about your set up. First things first, I would get him to a reptile vet. You can find one in your area with HerpVetConnection or ARAV

I also think that you need to check out the care sheet for bearded dragons. Caresheet

ambient warm side temp for your dragon should be at least 90-95F. The basking area should be 100-115F. On the cool side it can be 75-85F, but never let it get less than 70F.

The diet you are feeding him also needs a major overhaul. Check out the caresheet. it will give you a better idea on what to feed him.

What kind of light do you have? what size tank? What kind of UVB? how old is the bulb and how strong? do you have a screen top? are the holes in it greater than 1/4"? When you give your dragon its bath... how deep is the water? did you have it over his head? was it warm water? how long was he in there?

hope this isn't overwhelming!

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Light: UVB Strip Bulb: Exo-Terra Repti=Glo 8.0 UVB: It’s about 6 months old.

Heat:75 watt Exo-Terra Sun Glo

Tank: 40 gallon breeder, screen top. The holes in the screen are very small.

Bath: warm water up to his chest. He was in for about 10-15 minutes.

About the temps, I was told that during the winter months it was alright if the temp dropped to around the mid 80’s. Oh and I noticed that he keeps rubbing his head against the ground. Also he is still very active but when he is not basking he does the gagging thing. He has also been turning his beard black and sometimes looks kind of bloated.

Are you feeding him right before bed? If so that isnt enough time for his food to digest.

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MARSHA
A man without a woman is a bachelor, A woman without a man is a genius!.

We have enough youth, how about a fountain of smart!

Welcome and hope your Bearded Dragon is ok....

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Warmest Regards from Lyn